Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 vs Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart
Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 (#1, best overall) vs Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart (#2, best premium): in our Multi-Cookers & Instant Pots scoring the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 totals 9.4/10 and the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart 9.2/10.
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TopsFive comparison scores
Side by side
| Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 | Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart | |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 6 qt (also 3, 8 qt) | 6.5 quarts (up to 6 servings) |
| Functions | Pressure, Slow Cook, Rice, Steam, Sauté, Yogurt, Warm, Sterilize, Sous Vide | 13: pressure cook, air fry, slow cook, steam, sauté, roast, bake, broil, dehydrate, sous vide, yogurt, proof, keep warm |
| Pressure | High/Low | — |
| Programs | 15+ | — |
| Wattage | 1000W | 1500W |
| Lids | — | Single Ultimate Lid + removable pressure-cooking cover |
| Technology | — | EvenCrisp air frying |
| Pressure Release | — | Button-activated venting with "OK to Open Lid" prompt |
| Display | — | Large LCD |
| Inner Pot | — | Stainless steel, dishwasher-safe |
| Safety | — | 11+ safety features, incl. overheat protection and locking lid |
| Weight | — | 23.3 lb |
| Warranty | — | 1 year limited |
| Price | Check price → | Check price → |
How they differ in real use
Built from our multi cookers scoring, each product's published specifications, and verified owner feedback — not hands-on testing.
Both the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 and the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart made our Top 5 Multi-Cookers & Instant Pots, at #1 (best overall) and #2 (best premium). The pressure cooker that started the revolution: 9 functions, proven reliability, and the largest recipe community. The safe bet. The pick for pressure cooking and crisping in one pot. Ninja's Foodi SmartLid, which held this spot, is discontinued, and the Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid does the same job with one lid: a removable cover switches it between pressure cooking and air frying. That adds air fry, broil, bake and dehydrate to the Duo Plus's functions, and it vents steam at the press of a control-panel button. It ranks below the Duo Plus because independent reviewers found its air frying uneven, logged error codes, and found its uncoated stainless pot harder to clean. It ranks above the Pro Plus on versatility, not on pressure cooking.
We score multi-cookers & instant pots on Cooking Versatility (30%), Pressure Performance (25%), Ease of Use (20%), Safety Features (15%) and Value (10%). On that basis the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 totals 9.4 out of 10 and the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart 9.2. The widest gap is Value, where the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 scores 10 against 8 for the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart: features per dollar. Ease of Use also separates them: 9 for the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 versus 8.5 for the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart. The Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart claws back ground on Safety Features.
On paper, the specifications that actually differ: Capacity: 6 qt (also 3, 8 qt) on the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 versus 6.5 quarts (up to 6 servings) on the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart; Functions: Pressure, Slow Cook, Rice, Steam, Sauté, Yogurt, Warm, Sterilize, Sous Vide on the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 versus 13: pressure cook, air fry, slow cook, steam, sauté, roast, bake, broil, dehydrate, sous vide, yogurt, proof, keep warm on the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart; Wattage: 1000W on the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 versus 1500W on the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart.
Check current pricing at the merchant links below. Owners praise the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 for 9 cooking functions and proven reliability; the most common complaint is no air fry lid included. Owners praise the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart for one lid pressure cooks and air fries, with no separate crisping lid to store and 13 functions, including pressure cook, air fry, slow cook, sous vide, bake, broil, dehydrate and yogurt; the most common complaint is air frying is uneven in independent reviews: fries in America's Test Kitchen's evaluation, fried chicken in Reviewed's.
Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1
- 9 cooking functions
- Proven reliability
- Huge recipe community
- Stainless steel insert
- No air fry lid included
- Basic display
- Learning curve for pressure
Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart
- One lid pressure cooks and air fries, with no separate crisping lid to store
- 13 functions, including pressure cook, air fry, slow cook, sous vide, bake, broil, dehydrate and yogurt
- Steam release is triggered from the control panel, and the display shows when it is safe to open the lid
- Cooking pot, pressure-cooking cover and air-fry rack are dishwasher-safe
- Air frying is uneven in independent reviews: fries in America's Test Kitchen's evaluation, fried chicken in Reviewed's
- Uncoated stainless steel pot lets food stick and often needs scrubbing
- Reviewers logged error codes (C7 during an America's Test Kitchen stew, C6 on a new Reviewed unit)
Which should you buy?
The Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 is the better fit for multi-cooker beginners and one-pot meal lovers; it is the higher-scoring pick here, chiefly for Value and Ease of Use. The Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart is the better fit for cooks who want pressure cooking and air frying in one pot and families cooking for up to six, and the stronger choice if Safety Features matters more to you than the overall score. The Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 is a poor fit for air fry needs; the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart is a poor fit for air-fry-first buyers (a dedicated air fryer crisps more evenly).
Choose the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 if
- Multi-cooker beginners
- One-pot meal lovers
- Busy families
Skip it if
- Air fry needs
- Counter space limited
Choose the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart if
- Cooks who want pressure cooking and air frying in one pot
- Families cooking for up to six
- Kitchens without room to store a second lid
Skip it if
- Air-fry-first buyers (a dedicated air fryer crisps more evenly)
- Cooks who want a nonstick pot
Common questions
Is the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 better than the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart?
In our Multi-Cookers & Instant Pots ranking the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 scores higher overall, 9.4 to 9.2, with the biggest advantage in Value. The Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart is stronger on Safety Features, so it is the better pick if that matters most to you.
What is the main difference between the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 and the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart?
The headline spec difference is Capacity: 6 qt (also 3, 8 qt) on the Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 versus 6.5 quarts (up to 6 servings) on the Instant Pot Duo Crisp with Ultimate Lid 6.5-Quart. In use, the gap that matters most is Value (10 vs 8 in our scoring): features per dollar.